The King and The Musician
by WhoGotMerLocked
Summary: Merlin's sister, a traveling bard, comes to Camelot. But something's happened to her, something that she's not talking about. Can Merlin and Arthur figure it out before it's too late? Gwen's out of the picture. ArthurxOC
1. Chapter 1

**Just a new idea I came up with. Kind of similar to one of my other stories, but it's going to get different. If I get enough reviews on this, I will write more, so please R&R! **

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**CHAPTER 1**

Merlin was sitting at a table on the edge of the training field, polishing armor. Arthur and the knights were dueling and laughing. After glancing around, Merlin saw that there was no one looking. Subtly, he raised his hand and whispered a spell. The armor was clean.

Arthur was watching Gwaine and Percival duel. Then he looked to Merlin. His servant had just finished polishing his armor. Grinning, the king made his way to the dark-haired serving boy, ready to give him more work.

"Now that you're done with that, polish this too," Arthur said, tossing his sword to Merlin and picking up and extra from the rack. Merlin sighed, exasperation written across his features.

Then there was a shout. "Merlin?" It was phrased like a question. Arthur looked over, as did Merlin. There was a girl, standing with a guard, who was pointing at them

"Merlin!" the girl shouted again.

As soon as her features became distinguishable, Merlin was no longer at Arthur's side. He was running, faster than Arthur had ever seen him run before, to the girl.

When they met halfway, they embraced. The girl linked her arms around Merlin's neck and he gripped her waist as he swung her around in the air.

When he placed her down, they hugged again.

"I missed you," he said.

"I missed you more," the girl replied.

The knights had gotten closer. Gwaine cleared his throat.

Merlin and the girl pulled apart, but they still held hands.

"And who might this pretty girl be?" Gwaine asked. The girl blushed slightly.

"I'm Bronwyn," she replied, "Merlin's sister."

The knights gaped. Now that Arthur was looking, he could see the similarities. Their faces were shaped quite similarly: with prominent cheekbones and sharp chins. However, while Merlin's eyes were a very deep blue, much like Arthur's own, Bronwyn's were a pale grey that sparkled in the light. Also, Bronwyn's hair was a dirty-golden blonde color that was currently pulled back into a braid.

She wore tight black pants that hugged her long legs and calf-length brown boots. Her dark blue shirt was billowy and long-sleeved, but tucked in at the waist. A thick sash was tied around her waist, accentuating her slender form.

Though Arthur didn't say it out loud, he found her to be very beautiful.

"Bronwyn," Merlin said, "this is Arthur, King of Camelot."

Bronwyn extended a hand. Arthur made a move to lean down to kiss it, as was the gentlemanly thing to do; but instead, Bronwyn shook it, like a man to a man.

"And these are the knights: Percival, Gwaine, and Leon."

Bronwyn inclined her head to them politely.

A few minutes later, they were all sitting at a picnic table, with the exception of Leon, who had offered to get Bronwyn food.

"Tell us about yourself," Percival said.

"Well," Bronwyn started, "I'm technically Merlin's cousin, not sister. My birth mother was Hunith's sister. When she and her husband died, I was just an infant. Hunith took me in. I remember nothing of my birth parents. I call Hunith mother and Merlin brother."

"So, Bronwyn," Arthur said, "When I was in Ealdor, how come I didn't see you?"

"I left about a year before Merlin came to Camelot."

"Where did you go?" Gwaine asked.

"I was studying with a band of traveling minstrels."

"You're a musician?" Percival butted in.

"The best in the land," Merlin boasted.

"Not quite," Bronwyn blushed.

Arthur raised an eyebrow when Bronwyn elbowed her brother.

"When Bronwyn sings," Merlin continued, "the birds stop to listen."

Bronwyn's blush deepened. Rather than making her look like a tomato, it made her even more beautiful.

"You should play for us sometime soon," Arthur suggested and all the knights agreed. Eventually, Bronwyn consented.

"Are you going to get a job?" Merlin asked his sister.

"Probably, I'll have to see if I can find work."

"You could always help Gaius and I," Merlin commented thoughtfully.

Bronwyn feigned incredulousness. "You would allow little old me to be the assistant to the king's manservant?"

The knights laughed and Merlin smiled.

Then, seriously, she said, "That would be perfect."

Arthur took this moment to say, "Good, because Merlin need some help getting jobs done."

They laughed again.

"You could also be the court musician," Arthur continued, "That is, if your good."

"That sounds perfect to, thank you, sire," she replied graciously.

"Please, its just Arthur."

"Very well then," Bronwyn smiled, "Arthur."

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**Hope you guys enjoyed! Please review, otherwise I won't continue this story! Thanks!**

**-Sasha**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello friends! Sorry it took me so long to post this chapter. I've been busy, busy, busy, but I have decided to continue this story so never fear! Oh and by the way, I changed something in chapter 1. Just a little thing so you don't have to back and read it, but I changed our lovely Bronwyn's hair from black to a golden-blonde colour. So enjoy! **

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**CHAPTER 2**

"Well," Merlin said. "We should probably get you settled into Gaius's."

Bronwyn nodded and the knights stood. Merlin offered his sister his hand and she accepted. She stood.

All of a sudden, she gasped in pain and lurched to the side. Merlin was there instantly, supporting his sister.

"Bronwyn, what's wrong?" Merlin asked, concerned.

"I'm fine," she choked out. "I just…need to…rest."

"You're most certainly NOT fine." Merlin spat. And then, with an unexpected show of strength, he swept his sister up in his arms and set her down on the table.

"Gwaine, Leon, Percival," Merlin started giving orders, "Go to Gaius and get his stretcher. Tell him to prepare for a patient."

The three knights nodded and dashed off, leaving Arthur and Merlin alone with Bronwyn.

Merlin glanced at his king and then decided he didn't care that Arthur was there.

Much to Bronwyn's displeasure, Merlin pulled up her shirt up. Her breasts were bound by white bindings. Merlin pulled her shirt down a bit after noticing at Bronwyn's glare.

Underneath the white binding, there were bruises all along her ribs.

Merlin pressed his fingers lightly to one of the bruises. She fought back a whimper.

"What happened?" Merlin asked, barely concealing his anger.

"I tripped and rolled when I was on my way here," Bronwyn said. "It's fine. It'll heal in a couple days."

"This isn't just some normal bruising," Merlin replied. "Your ribs aren't broken, otherwise it would be hard to walk, but you got here just fine. No these bruises are signs that your ribs had been broken and didn't heal properly. The minstrels would have gotten you the treatment you needed. So what happened?"

Bronwyn sighed.

"A little less than a year ago, our band was ambushed by slave traders. Only a few got away. I was not so lucky. Myself and many others were sold to a large estate in Odin's kingdom. A few months in, there was an opportunity for escape. But one had to stay behind to help the others. I was that person. When my masters found out, they beat me. That's how I got this. I only managed to escape a couple months ago. I went straight to Mother. I told her nothing. She sent me here to be with you."

Merlin shook his head, shaking off the anger towards the people who did this to her. He had always been a protective brother.

Just then, Percival, Gwaine, and Leon came back with the stretcher. Merlin picked up his sister again, laying her out on the stretched. Bronwyn winced.

When they arrived at Gaius's, Merlin shooed the knights out of the room. He laid Bronwyn down on the patient's bed.

He looked at his sister. "This is going to hurt," he said. "I'm going to have to re-break your ribs and heal them properly. Even with magic, it will take a couple days for you to recover.

"Just do it," Bronwyn growled. Merlin nodded. They both steeled themselves for what was about to come next.

Merlin placed her hands on her sides. He whispered a few chants and his eyes glowed gold.

Bronwyn released a ear-shattering scream as her ribs were broken again. She could feel break as they were snapped in half. She could feel it as they began to knit back together.

Her screams turned into whimpers as the pain passed slowly. Merlin pulled his hands away.

He grabbed a sleeping tonic from the shelf and held her head as she drank it. Her eyes closed as she dropped off to sleep.

Bronwyn slept solidly for the next three days, having been moved to Merlin's bed. The boy was by her bedside almost the entire time. Every so often, Arthur and the knights (but mostly Arthur) sat while Merlin had to sleep.

When Bronwyn finally woke up, it was Arthur who was awake. Merlin was curled up on the floor. Arthur didn't wake him yet.

"Morning," the king said.

"Morning," she replied, looking at him with shining grey eyes.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better than I have in years," she said stretching. "I feel like I've been asleep for days."

"That's because you have," Arthur replied nonchalantly.

Bronwyn sat up straight. "What? How long have I been asleep."

"Three days," Arthur commented.

The girl shot out of bed, getting tangled in the sheets and falling on the floor. When she finally disentangled herself from the sheets, she stood, blonde hair ruffled.

Merlin's nightshirt only came down to the middle of her thigh, exposing creamy white skin.

Arthur averted his eyes, focusing on her face. Which wasn't that hard, considering how beautiful she was.

_Stop thinking like that,_ Arthur chastised himself, _you can't fall in love with her. She's Merlin's sister!_

Bronwyn wandered into the main room.

"Look who's up!" Gaius took a break from brewing potions to make Bronwyn a simple breakfast.

Halfway through, Merlin dashed into the main room, looking very worried and confused.

When he noticed Bronwyn wolfing down bread and cheese, he sighed with relief. He sat down next to her.

"When you weren't in bed, I got worried."

"I can tell," Bronwyn retorted.

After Arthur left, Bronwyn knew it was time to have a serious talk with her brother. She could see it in his eyes.

"Did they do anything else to you?" Merlin asked, once they and Gaius had put away the foot and were seated at the table together.

"I know what you're thinking," Bronwyn said, "And it didn't happen. I swear."

Merlin let out a breath. "Good."

They sat in silence for a few moments.

"How did the slave traders manage to attack your camp? How did they manage to get passed the druids?"

Because what Bronwyn hadn't told Arthur and the knights was she had been travelling with not just any band of musicians, but a band of druid minstrels.

At a raised brow from Gaius, Bronwyn explained, "I travelled with a band of druid musicians who taught me to weave magic into my music. Merlin's magic comes naturally and it is the magic of the earth. I have to work and practice at my magic and it goes no further than my music."

"How often do you add magic to your song?" Gaius asked.

"Not often. But it changes everything."

"But back to my question," Merlin interjected. "How did the traders attack your camp? The druids you were with had other magic, too. They would have been able to stop the traders."

"They came in the night when we were sleeping. I don't know how they got passed our defenses, but they had something that counteracted any magic that was thrown at them."

Anyone who knew Merlin well enough could see the anger rising in him.

"I'll kill them for what they did to you," he growled.

Bronwyn laid a hand on his shoulder, "Brother what every you are thinking, don't do it. This is something you should just leave be. It's in the past. We can both forget about it?"

"Why?" he demanded, "Why should I not exact revenge on the people who hurt my little sister?"

"Because this organization is more than it seems. It is more powerful than you can imagine. And there is no way only one man, no matter how powerful you are, brother, can defeat them."

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**Dun-Dun-Dun-DUUUUuun. Ta-Da! Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and my little cliffie at the end!**

**Don't know when the next chapter will be up but stay tuned my lovely readers!**

**-Sasha**


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